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Saquon’s Dominance & the Strengths of the Bills | Joel Embiid’s Mishandling & the Nets’ Woes | Bryan Mbeumo Hype & can City Get a Run Going
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In this week’s episode of Who’s Got The Ball?, the lads spoke about Saquon Barkley’s dominance, the strengths of the Buffalo Bills, the mishandling of Joel Embiid, Brooklyn Nets’ woes, the Byran Mbeumo hype and if Man City have a run in them.
Gan Seans continues with Shane currently in a 2-1 lead & the lads give you an update on their WGTB Multi-Sport Power Rankings.
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Transcript
Introduction and Episode Recap
00:00:09
Speaker
Welcome to the second episode of Who's Got the Ball. So we're back again, myself and Shane here for another episode to take you through what happened the last week in the NFL, NBA and in the world of football. So what's the crapshine? How's it going? Good man, not too bad. Just the usual hectic week of sport. Lots to talk about. They're all hectic weeks. Honestly, even in the summer, we're going to have the
00:00:34
Speaker
some special stuff for you so don't even think that's that when playoffs are done and NBA and NFL that we're we're gonna rest now we have plenty lined up so thanks to everybody who gave it a listen first week especially those of you who like gave a comment on our review that means a lot and we really appreciate it so if you keep those comments that would be brilliant any support is really appreciated and we just hope you enjoy it
00:01:00
Speaker
and hope we give you a reason to keep
Rugby Weekend Experiences
00:01:02
Speaker
coming back. But myself and Shane were both at a couple of rugby games over the weekend. Shane, how was your weekend at the game? A great weekend all around, about a result of course, but they got through. They got a tough draw now going away to cyber shell, but I'm sure they were joined. It's just it's all about getting there. Keep going and just Northampton is a great city full of really, really good people. So I'd recommend this if anyone was looking for us.
00:01:29
Speaker
That's true. There's much to do now, but I definitely recommend it somewhere to go. Yeah. Yeah. Nice one. It's a nice away location. So like, that's, that's all you want as an away fan to, uh, feel like you're in a good location. But, um, I was at the Leinster game then as well. So Shane was at the Munster match against Northampton and I was at the Leinster game. So we were playing back, topping our first half, but, uh, got things turned around, go to, go to atmosphere near Viva. Nice two points is all there. So can't complain. All in all, pretty good Leinster got the,
00:01:59
Speaker
top spot in the group and second seed overall so be at home now until the end hopefully and if it goes that far so let's see let's see what happens in the next one but it's just a weekend we want
00:02:15
Speaker
well too long on the rugby because we have a lot of other sports that we're focusing on.
NFL Playoffs: Key Player Performances
00:02:19
Speaker
So first of all we're going to get into the NFL because playoff season is right here. We're down to the second last weekend of football so we're going to go with that as our first topic this week. So I'll let you Leilin Chen, you had a player to chat about this week so who have you got for us?
00:02:35
Speaker
I think there was only one man I could have gone to after the weekend we saw, and it was, it had to be Sycamore Barkley. But everyone else was sleeping and sliding in the snow. He was running in 78-hour touchdowns. He was just incredible for the whole game. 105 yards total, two touchdowns, just ran the show from Dylan Hurst did a good bit of running now as well, which we were talking about last week, that if he was willing to use his feet again, that the Eagles would be hard to stop. But he didn't need to do as much as he did when Sycamore Barkley was just running for fun.
00:03:04
Speaker
And even after the season he has 2,2005 yards, 13 touchdowns across the season. He's been the perfect foil for the whole season of Virgin and Hertz and averaging 125 yards a game. But it's made a massive difference to Philly this year. He really has been. He's been what they needed. Big time. Really, really, really needed. Really, really been what they needed.
00:03:24
Speaker
Yeah, no, I think the way he settled into that team, like, obviously he doesn't know denying his talents when he's with the Giants, but people saying like, oh, why did the Giants let him go and things like that? Of course, it would have been great to see him stay at the Giants, but he wouldn't have had the success at the Giants. Like, the difference in O-line and quarterback makes, like, such a huge difference to the ability of him in his game. Like, I just, I noted, like, a few games he had this season. This is total yards, you know, not just rushing yards or rushing and receiving.
00:03:54
Speaker
in games this season. He's had games with 132, 116 twice, 156, 187, 199, 198, 302, 124, 150, 169. That is not going to happen with the Giants O-line and plethora of quarterbacks that they were using. So, look, sad to see him go as a Giants fan, but
00:04:19
Speaker
Yes, the argument that he should have stayed there and he would have performed and done anything for the Giants this season is just wrong. Like the team the Giants have is just miles off it. He stepped into a great team, a team that's ready to win and that needed someone like him. And, you know, this weekend he had 232 total yards.
00:04:38
Speaker
205 on the ground, like just insane. And what he did to the Rams are Eddie this season. And you think, you know, maybe they'll try and stop him. They just could not stop him. And he was the winning of the game, especially after that hurts injury.
Super Bowl Contenders: Bills and Eagles
00:04:53
Speaker
Big time. That's the second touchdown he ran in. The Rams were just kind of getting a bit of momentum. They wrapped again in their big stop and then they've been stopped. And then Berkley just goes and rips off 78 yards and just kills the game for him. Just absolutely incredible. And across the whole season what he's done, if he had played that last regular season game, he'd definitely broken the 2,105 yard record. There's no doubt in anyone's mind that he had broken their records.
00:05:19
Speaker
He's just been incredible and even little things like during the game during the season I can't remember who it was against now where it's a chance to break his own record for rushing yards in the game and the coach asked him if he wants to go back, you know, give the other lads a run and he straight away said just give the other lads a run. It's a good sign he's not out there for himself this season. He's just been all about the team all season knowing that something special could happen.
00:05:43
Speaker
and I just I think he's been yeah for me he probably is MVP he won't get this because it's all in the quarterback but what he's done for D of the season has just been out of this world to be perfectly honest I think yeah he's just transformed them and kept them resilient they didn't go through really the kind of patches that they went through the end of last season and into last year's playoffs they kind of had him there to fall back on which makes such a big difference and that game that he didn't want to go for his own record was actually against the Giants so
00:06:12
Speaker
It's thankful that he didn't go and do that to us. That might have been why he didn't go first. That played in on his mind. But yeah, I know.
00:06:23
Speaker
I would have liked to see him break that record this season just for the whole, you know, the history. And I really like him as a player, but I think he did want to go for it. And obviously the Eagles made the wise choice of not putting them out there with the risk of an injury. In the end, it turned out to work out. I actually didn't agree with that, but I thought, you know what, just go for it. If they end up losing that game and something goes wrong and they end up losing the first game in the playoffs, everyone would be like, well, it was for nothing, but now in hindsight, obviously it looks like the right thing to do. So.
00:06:53
Speaker
Good move by them, but yeah, just a dominant force, absolutely dominant, and one that the commanders, I don't think the commanders are going to be able to handle him, to be honest. I think with Hertz, the fact that he's questionable, we saw what the commanders did the last time that Hertz went down, but even then Kenny Pickett was kind of playing okay.
00:07:14
Speaker
in that game because he had Barkley there and the one thing the commanders can't really do is defend against the run so we saw what Gibbs did to them last week you saw what's been happening all season I just think that Barkley has that ability to drag this Eagles team over the line and possibly even to Super Bowl so yeah I really like that pick of him as the player to talk about for this week because yeah there's literally no better man to speak about
00:07:39
Speaker
I think he was just incredible from start to finish last weekend. He could literally, as you said, he could fire the Eagles the whole way to winning the Super Bowl. He could put like him on his feet. I don't see how many teams can stop him at the moment. But we'll see now on Sunday if the commanders can keep it up for us. Yeah. I think, yeah, I think you're right. I don't think I don't think they'll get
00:08:03
Speaker
I don't think they'll get the win, but a lot of strange things have happened. But yeah, Saquon Starman now. Let's look on the other side of the bracket.
NBA Struggles: Nets and 76ers
00:08:10
Speaker
So on the AFC, I've gone actually with the Bills as my team to speak about this week. So we're kind of getting a bit of both sides here. Bills were a team that people thought this season they were going to regress. And like it's easy to say now.
00:08:23
Speaker
I thought that was wrong because we didn't have a platform to speak on it at the time, but I did think that was wrong because this team is a team. That's kind of such a stupid thing to say, but it's really important. Like they rally around the quarterback. They have an excellent head coach.
00:08:39
Speaker
They have a defense that fights hard. Yes, they kind of lost some veteran pieces on defense, but we've seen the progression of some of the other players that they have in there. The return of Damar Hamlin just boosting everybody, just that ability of him being able to play again after what happened to him. Such a morale booster. But that's kind of all within the atmosphere and the vibes of the team we see in the videos they make, things like that. Everything looks great.
00:09:03
Speaker
But actually on the field what they do their second in total points in NFL in the regular season They were first in sacks allowed according to PFF. They had the fifth the fourth best o-line this season so against the blitz they have the second low pressure rate allowed to the quarterback and second lowest sack rate and The lowest sack rate in the entire NFL across all plays this season. So when you're protecting a man like Josh Allen
00:09:30
Speaker
It doesn't matter if you weren't 100% sure who the number one receiver is, if you're all going to give him that time and he can use his legs and he can do what he wants to do, there's no wonder he's having an MVP calibre season. 100%, like as you mentioned there about them not knowing who the first receiver is, I had a look and sort of his biggest, his main target this season was Shakir.
00:09:52
Speaker
if you're getting to a Super Bowl and potentially winning a Super Bowl with Shakir as your number one wide receiver, it just goes to show how together the whole squad must be because they've no superstars in the wide receiver court. Even they brought in a Mary Cooper and he's kind of just fallen to the wayside almost a little bit because all their options are kind of
00:10:16
Speaker
under one their average, but together they're doing one hell of a job altogether. Just making plays, Josh Allen making plays with his legs, with his arms, James Cook running for fun. I just, I think I agree with you, 100% they are absolutely a team. They really are. They're probably the definition of a team of the four that are left. Yeah. I think that James Cook is such an important part because now that he's taken that step up and he's just having an absolute monster year.
00:10:43
Speaker
converting into the end zone first of all which he wasn't doing as much previously and the ability they have a very dynamic um running back core like with Ray Davis in there as well and Johnson as well like you know these guys can receive also as well as run with the ball. Cook is more of a running back uh typical running back
00:11:03
Speaker
very hard to stop, very hard to take down. But the other guys there, ability to catch the ball too out of the backfield gives Allen extra choices as well as those receivers who have been performing kind of above what was expected. And then obviously when you have that O line, it makes a big difference. But on the other side of the ball, you know, typically
00:11:22
Speaker
defenses that just rely on turnovers to be good and it's a bit iffy because you know they might allow a lot of yards but then big turnovers change games but it's worked for them this season. They have 18 force fumbles and 16 interceptions on the season so we're looking at interceptions coming from so many people the most one player had was two and that was spread across a number of people like Damar Hamlin
00:11:47
Speaker
and Terrell Barnard a lot like there was I think there was about four or five lads there that had two interceptions each so in terms of force fumbles then we're looking over with three so with three as well we haven't even mentioned a Japanese resume Douglas Taylor it's just so many pieces on this defense now some of them you know that you would say they're not stars but
00:12:09
Speaker
together as one they are a complete unit the same as the offense which is completely one of the most important parts of this team like Sean McDermott what he's done with this defense is just absolutely amazing from the end of last season into this season when they had a lot of doubts. You saw how well Matt Milano played last week when he came back in just commanding that defense but Greg Roussou stepping up as I already mentioned with the force wumbles but in general how much of a dominating force he's been this season
00:12:37
Speaker
Yes, they do rely on interceptions, force fumbles, big splash plays on defence, but it's worked for them. And if it's worked for them, why can't they keep that up for two more games and just take home the Lombardi? Absolutely. And even like as much as it plays into defence there, the lack of turnovers by the offense across the whole season has been exceptional as well. The way they protect the ball, the way Gosh Allen protects the ball when he has it.
00:13:01
Speaker
Like, you're going to win, you'll win more games than you lose if you're not turning the ball over. Like, it's zero turnovers last week. Four teams now. I know the four winning teams had no turnovers, both. They're just, they are really, really good at protecting the ball when they have some making plays. Yeah. It shows how important winning the turnover
NFL Predictions: Surprises and Underdogs
00:13:21
Speaker
battle is in big games, like in the playoffs, like, you know, Josh Allen with six interceptions this season, least of his career and also the least fumbles of his career at five.
00:13:31
Speaker
and that was with 12 Russian touchdowns, so the second most he's ever had you think. Maybe he'd have more fumbles if he's taking runs, but these runs that he has, he's just, when he knows he can get there, he's not putting himself on harm's way. We knew how much he loved an interception when he came into the league, but that's all changed now. He's taking care of the ball and things are just looking quite comfortable back there for him. So
00:13:55
Speaker
Yeah, I said in an article I referenced it last week about the Chiefs, why I didn't think they would win this year, and the Bills were my pick then. I was like, at the end of November I said, I just think they can't go through the Bills. I thought the Bills would end up with home advantage in this game, but I think either way I still fancy them here. I'm going to link that article in the bio if you want to give it a read.
00:14:20
Speaker
Yeah, anything else you have on the bills there before we move on? I think trust he's showing this year in James Cook as well. He's not taking on as many runs as he was. He's not taking on, so he's not going for midfield, trying to run 50 hours to get a touchdown. He trusts Cook more to hand it off and get to 10 yards, get to 11 yards, which I think that has also shown in how James Cook has played this season as well.
00:14:43
Speaker
the two of them and Shakir and the other way to see if they can all just go out and they can make plays against Kansas and see where they end up. Yeah, no, definitely. I think it's going to be two great games this weekend. We kind of covered all bases there with those and who we think are going to be, I suppose, the stars of the show. But moving on now, we're going to chat about the NBA. So last week you had the player to talk about. So this week I have the player. So I'll go first here. I've gone with Joel Embiid. Now,
00:15:14
Speaker
This is not going to be a very happy topic for myself because I'm a Sixers fan. This season has just been absolutely horrendous in general for the Sixers, but all it's really done is shine a bigger light on how much of a hole Joel Embiid leaves in this team. With Embiid out there this season, okay, the record hasn't been great, but he hasn't been 100% when he's out there. It's been seven and six with him. Then without him, it's been eight and 21.
00:15:42
Speaker
And that has been the Sixers level this year. 8 of 21 sounds generous. I'm not sure how we won eight games without him because the play on that court is just horrendous. Truly awful. And it just shows the gap that he's left in this team. Like just coming up on my phone today, like one year ago today was that 70 point game he had.
00:16:01
Speaker
record for him and it was against Wembley in Wembley's first season such a big game it's just like kind of showing Wembley what an NBA center can do with his strength 18 rebounds as well but like then to come into this season after the disappointment last year in the playoffs once again another knee injury you know it's just and I just think the way the Sixers have treated the situation is horrible like
00:16:26
Speaker
They completely botched this whole situation. They are not telling us as fans exactly what's happening. We're having to piece it together ourselves that clearly the man has a severe, severe knee injury and he may never play like himself again because he can barely even train without there being swelling in his knee. They rushed him back last year from the injury twice.
00:16:47
Speaker
And both times he re-aggravated it.
Upcoming Sports Predictions: Premier League and NBA
00:16:49
Speaker
They let him then go play in the Olympics and then he wasn't ready for the start of the season. They rushed him back in again when he wasn't ready to win a few games when we were on a downward spiral. And then he got injured again. Like the Sixers could not have handled this worse. Just really sick of how they've handled the situation with him and how they're treating the fans on this one.
00:17:09
Speaker
I do agree. I think it's flabbergasting that they keep rushing him back, rushing him back when they saw, as you said twice last year, they rushed him back and he went down again. Clearly he needed a long break. He probably shouldn't have went to the Olympics, but you can't tell someone, oh, you can't go. I'm going to go and medal there in pretty much the NBA All-Star team going up against the rest of the world. Last season, he only started 39 games, but he averaged 34.7 points in those 39 games.
00:17:39
Speaker
which it just goes to show like the difference he does make when he's out there is just it's absolutely unbelievable and this year to be rushing him in the house and kind of bring them back for two games in his injured again misses another six but not saying anything just i guess i'd expecting the fans to just kind of like piece it together themselves
00:17:57
Speaker
it's I just it's not how you run any kind of a franchise with your star man like he's only 30 like they could they could have his career over in the next 18 months if they keep going to where to go but if he could be retired before 32 which is probably when he should be looking at me with his feet really yeah yeah I just don't know how they've managed to do this with the team they had like the trades they made most of them make sense when them beads on the floor you can see in the games he's played
00:18:25
Speaker
things kind of work the ball flows better everything goes through him maxi is more free paul george makes more sense but none of it makes sense without him beat like and drum and being injured too then george is playing back up center like this stuff doesn't work without him beating i wonder the Sixers have looked horrible
00:18:43
Speaker
because they haven't had him and when they did have him they couldn't get any momentum with the team practicing like that and playing together in that way so you know I just I just it's just infuriating to be honest and in terms of like what you said about how well he performed when he did play last year if you look at his stats all time
00:19:01
Speaker
Like I know people would say, Oh, you have to be available. You have to win rings. You have to do this. But in terms of sheer ability and ability to score in a basketball, he's forked all time ever in the NBA in career points per game. And he's first in points per 100% ever in the NBA history. So this guy has absolutely unbelievable ability.
00:19:26
Speaker
but it's just really bad the way his career has gone and it's quite sad to be honest. I agree with you 100%. He is, when he's on the court and he's fit and healthy, he's borderline unstoppable at times. Like he was that 70 point game last year, he was literally just unstoppable. There was no point in anyone going near him when he had the ball by the rim. But if they keep going, as I said, if they keep going the way they're going, they'll, they were looking for a new centre in two years.
00:19:50
Speaker
big time and he'll be the biggest loss you can ever imagine to that printer. That's just sad for Sixers fans because we don't really know where we're going because if he's you know we're relying on him to come back in there for things a lot positive and if he's not gonna come back in anytime soon there's no real hope there and obviously our pick.
00:20:10
Speaker
could end up going to the Thunder. I don't know how they keep wrangling this stuff where your pick ends up going to them as soon as it's a good one. But of course, the one season we are horrible, they're going to get our pick. So yeah, not looking good. Moving on to another absolute car crash. I think you've gone for the nets to talk about this weekend. I have gone for the nets, but I think we might enjoy this one a bit more than we did the Joel and Bedes talk. I honestly, I can't believe how much of a disaster the nets have made of the last two or three years.
00:20:37
Speaker
Like, they started to see them 14 and 30. They're 1 and 9 in their last 10 and drawing a 4 game losing run. The trades they made for James Harden to try and build that super team with himself through Ant and Irving. Giving the Rockets 4 first rounds and 4, 1 out of 4, first round protected draft picks. And then they ended up trading, hiring the way to bring in Ben Simmons.
00:21:00
Speaker
who has since been in there for the last 15 years. I can't get over. They were right there at the top. Injured, actually. Yeah, injured, exactly. They were right there at the top. They were looking strong, looking good. And they've now sacrificed their future. And they've nothing to show first.
Premier League Focus: Key Players and Teams
00:21:19
Speaker
Absolutely nothing. It's just, I think it's hilarious. Be for free, honestly. Since Simmons went there in the last two years, he's only averaged 25 minutes a game and six and a half points a game.
00:21:31
Speaker
like you were bringing them in to be like the star of a show and he inferred this thing from the star of a show, maybe the star of a circus. I think that him coming in like, you know, I think he gets an absolute horrible time. I liked him when he started in the Sixers. He deserves for all the crap that he, you know, these five right here with the Ben Simmons workout tapes and he's shooting with nobody near him.
00:21:54
Speaker
I'd say it's probably 20 attempts that took him to get one three and like, like this, this, this thing every year it's comical, but he's actually the kind of player that if he went to like a championship team and he was like, just put his ego aside and he played from the bench as a playmaker. Like he's, he has the basketball IQ and the skills, but it's absolutely no good to the Mets. Like they can't, they literally cannot do anything right now. Like there are 29 points per game.
00:22:23
Speaker
And that's 29th, second last, and that's kind of a common feature here. 29th in rebounds per game, 29th in steals per game, 29th in blocks per game, 29th in field goals made per game.
00:22:35
Speaker
The only thing they can do is shoot a few trees and they just chuck them up. You know, they had, they have Cam Johnson, who's a good piece. They need to trade him away. He probably will be traded away because he's a good spot up shooter. Cam Thomas just absolutely fires up shots whenever he can. And when they had Schruder there as well, he was performing. They actually had to get rid of Schruder and Finney Smith so they could tank because they're actually kind of playing a bit too well for their own liking.
00:23:01
Speaker
when they had those two guys. So they were just like, no, no, no, they're gone. Give us back the Angelo Russell. We're, we're losing games and no better way to do it than have them manage your point guard. Yeah. The fact that they won 14 games and then they're like, okay, that's enough now. Probably need to stop there. We need to go and do the next 20 and see where we are then. But like I just said, they've traded away. They're good pieces. They have to trade away the rest of them.
00:23:25
Speaker
because of the trade they did to get into James Harden, which they thought was automatically going to win the marine. It was just, it was never going to work. You can't just bring in Galesticals and hope for the best. I know it worked back in Miami, but that was a long time
Coaching Changes: Impact on NFL Teams
00:23:40
Speaker
ago. Teams are far more robust now to having a few three big shooters. It doesn't matter. The teams are planning to have three big defenders. It doesn't work the way it did 10 or 15 years ago. Yeah.
00:23:52
Speaker
Well, defensive levels in the NBA are so high right now and team basketball is so, so important. Like if you look at the Celtics, how they won last year, it was as a team.
00:24:04
Speaker
also the thunder how well they're playing right now the year that the nuggets won okay yes all these teams have a star player but they have a team more than anything going back to the points you made about the builds how important it is to just actually be a team and work together but you can't just throw three stars together and think it's going to work now of course if kevin durant had a smaller shoe size things might went very differently that year against the books but look that's neither here nor there it didn't work out
00:24:32
Speaker
and history is how it's went. I think their season and them as a franchise currently was personified by their loss to the Clippers 126 to 67.
00:24:45
Speaker
last week and that is just outrageous in this NBA where teams are scoring for fun. You think they would at least kind of put up a bit of a fight but I think they didn't score more than 20 points in any of those quarters and that game is just horrendous and I've been sorry for net fans right now to be honest. What you're saying as well there about when the Nuggets won this, all these teams had once there
00:25:10
Speaker
Like you have one star and then you have four workhorses. You can't get three stars in that aren't going to do the running. You can't have two people do the running of five. You can have four people do the running of five. You can't have two people doing the running of five at any time. It's never going to work. Not anymore anyway. Yeah. Yeah. And I think that the look at the Celtics last year, like they believed, you know, that they have multiple stars there, but
00:25:36
Speaker
each one of their stars like the top guys they all fight like they're bench players looking for extra minutes they fight so hard when they're on the court and you know you can't you can't sacrifice that ability to play as a team and work hard for you know just going for three big players and having absolutely nothing else as we've seen with the Suns right now when their aunt isn't on the floor then they're just abysmal so it's kind of a similar situation it seems like KD always picks a bad spot to go to
00:26:06
Speaker
since he left the Warriors. But yeah, that's another point completely. But that's the nets. Any other points on the nets before we move on to our first game? Joos, I hope they stay as bad as they are for another while, because the Rockets, I'm pretty sure, still have a couple of their first round picks that we could use in the next couple of jobs to see if we can get that championship ring before I pass away. Other than that, it's all good for me. Happy to move on. Yeah, that's a nice way to end it.
00:26:31
Speaker
So we're going into our first game, which was very successful last week. So we had gone chance, which is no chance or without chance in Irish. So Shane, of course, predicted the commanders to beat the Lions in his in his pick for this week, for last week, which is an absolute unreal pick. I doubted at the time and somehow came in like
00:26:54
Speaker
unreal fair play man but just a highlight here for you guys again if you want to know the way this goes it's in the NFL and in the English Premier League it's teams that are playing
Conclusion and Listener Engagement
00:27:05
Speaker
against other teams that are odds on on the weekend and then in the NBA the odds won't be out for the weekend when we're recording so we pick teams that have five less wins or more than five less wins than the teams are playing against
00:27:19
Speaker
So we're picking underdogs here, guys. We're not picking teams that are expected to win. This is, you know, we're not like to get one right is good to get two is absolutely brilliant. Like what she ended last week, you know, so that's given.
00:27:33
Speaker
That's given the point of this whole thing. Shane is currently two, one up. So he got two right last week and I had one. So let's see how we can perform this week. And reminder, five points if you get all of them right and then one week. So let's see, let's see what you've gone for this week. Give us our, give us your picks.
00:27:49
Speaker
I'm sticking with my Washington commanders, despite what we were saying a couple of minutes ago. They're two to one this weekend. They're going to be on a high after last weekend. If they can kind of get into another shootout, there's no reason why Jalen Daniels can't put up another 40 odd points.
00:28:07
Speaker
and let's just see if Helen Hearst and Saquon Berkeley can just trample on over and see where it goes from there. I think I had to stick with the commanders again for this week after they did me so well last week. I do think it's only downhill from here for me, but we'll see anyway.
00:28:23
Speaker
So for my pick for the Premier League, I'm battling Everton to go away to Brighton and beat them. Nice. David Moyes' third game in charge. They've looked 100 times better since you've gone back in there. They were excellent for about 60 minutes last week against Spurs. And they're 9-2 to go away to Brighton, which I think is a great price. Brighton are very kind of up and down so far this season. They won during the week.
00:28:47
Speaker
they can very easily lose again and I could see Demogic have a loon going on a bit of a run before he goes and stops scoring again for 16 games with him. He might get a goal in three or four before he does that. And finally I'm going to give you a small bit of hope the 76ers are going to beat the Cavaliers. Oh no man. Yeah they're going to do it. Sorry I just I'm telling you they're going to beat the Cavaliers. That's like okay okay okay okay.
00:29:14
Speaker
I got, uh, that's a brave one. Cause like, the calves have like 30 yard winds now and the Sixers have 15. So that's, that's some pick man. If that comes in, you know, you'd have a crystal ball to be honest, if that one comes in, but I'll go with mine. So I've gone with the other.
00:29:31
Speaker
underdog for the week in the bills so they're playing the chiefs who are 10 to 13 so they are money on and the bills are 11 to 10 so according to the bookies bills have a better chance in the commander so not as risky as you but still within
00:29:46
Speaker
scope. I do back the bills and I think they'll get there. I think they'll get to the Super Bowl and I do think they'll win it. I'll come back to next week now when it's a repeat of my Ipswich pick against Man City when the Chiefs have beaten them by 30 points but hopefully not. Hopefully we get the win for the Bills there because we'd all like to see them in the Super Bowl. Then in the Premier League I've
00:30:09
Speaker
I've also gone for Everton, so nice little overlap there. We don't know who each other is going for, so it's funny that we both end up with the same one I actually thought.
00:30:18
Speaker
You know, David Moyes, similar situation. And I thought that it could be a game where Everton kind of try to soak up the pressure. It's 1-1, they'll have a few minutes left and they hit a counter attacking goal because Brighton are very physical. They have a high fitness level. I think Everton will need to sit back, but Moyes is such a good manager. I could see, you know, them turning over Brighton there. And in my NBA pick, I've gone for the Spurs to beat the Pacers.
00:30:47
Speaker
So Spurs have 19 wins at the minute, Pacers have 24. Tyrese Halliburton is in and out with a hamstring injury. I just fancy the Spurs to do it this weekend. It's at 5pm on Saturday, so a nice time for an NBA game over here in Ireland to watch. Yeah, I fancy the Spurs this week too.
00:31:04
Speaker
get a win and get themselves closer to 500 and back into that play and mix. So yeah, those are our picks. Let's see how we get on this week. I need to earn a point back at least to catch up a chance. So let's see how we go and we'll update you on that again next week.
00:31:22
Speaker
So that's our first game for this episode. We're going to get into our final sport for this episode. It's football. So we focus in here on the Premier League. That was kind of what was on last week. There was no European games. Now there is currently some this week. So maybe we'll touch a bit of European football next week. We'll see how we go. Let's hear who you have gone for in the player to talk about.
00:31:46
Speaker
So for my player I'm going to talk about Brian and Bueno, but it's not going to be the reason you think I'm going to talk about Brian and Bueno. I'm a small bit of a Brian and Bueno skeptic. I don't think he's as good as he's shown this year. How many times do you have to say Brian and Bueno before you stumble yourself over big time? Well I'll just start saying I'm Bueno from now on. Kinder Bueno, let's talk about him this weekend.
00:32:12
Speaker
He's outperforming himself massively this season, and I think he had a very good fit in the Brentford team, but it could be very like the Brighton team, where players have come out of that and gone to other clubs and just look distinctly average. He's sat on the season, he has 13 goals and then expected goals of 7.08. He has 10 goals, often expected goals of 4.4 without penalties.
00:32:36
Speaker
like that kind of an overperformance it's just not sustainable where you're over double your expected goals it's just not sustainable at all. I think a lot of teams will be looking at him in the summer when City will be Arsenal definitely need someone along the lines of him.
00:32:52
Speaker
But I could see them bringing him in and he just being another Kyle Haverts or another Gabriel Jesus who just all of a sudden forgets how to score goals. And a lot of his parents kind of flicks between the right wing and a striker. Mostly the parents have been as a striker, but he scores more goals and he plays off the right wing. And I think him and Wiss's partnership is incredible. But I think if we break it off one way or the other, I don't think they're as good as they look when they're together. OK, interesting. I can't say I agree with you, to be honest, because
00:33:22
Speaker
I think, I'm surprised this man is only 25 years old. Like, I feel like he's been around for a long time. And that's a factor for me here that he's kind of incrementally improving. Like, we've seen guys skyrocket very quickly when they're young, but this guy has kind of gradually moved up. So he played for Troy in League Two, or I don't know what's two in French. League Deux. Let's go with League Deux, yeah.
00:33:53
Speaker
So he was there for a season. Then he went to Brentford, played pretty well in his first season in the championship there. He had 16 goals and then kind of a little bit stable and he didn't go crazy. Everything was on a normal level. Stepped up into the Premier League was quite good as kind of their secondary man, more of a right winger with Tony.
00:34:13
Speaker
and now I think he's kind of filled that gap I know he was kind of unfortunate last season with injuries but now this season he's really kicked on so he has 13 goals and three assists in 22 games he's fifth in the goals and assists table this season now yes he is over performing as XG you could point this is another Chris Wood situation here where it's not sustainable but I think it shows he does have a good strike of the ball he has good technical skills and I think as an inside forward maybe or a winger
00:34:43
Speaker
With that pace, I don't think you can kind of go wrong with somebody like him if the value is okay. I don't think he'll be worth whatever he does go for. I would agree with that, but I do think he's a good player. And I think he'll have a good career, but I kind of like the hype about him. I think he's building up nicely in his career. And I think, yes, him and Wissa worked very well together, but him and Tony worked together too. And I think he'd work together with another striker if he kind of played awesome.
00:35:09
Speaker
and had that little bit of a deeper role but he has that pace in mind when you need it too.
00:35:14
Speaker
different views on him there, but I do think he's an interesting player to talk about because you can look at it multiple different ways and I didn't really expect your analysis of him there to be honest. I don't think he's a bad player by any stretch of imagination. He is clearly a good player, but I don't know if he's destined for that greatness level. I don't know if he is the kind of player that starts 32 games in a title winning season.
00:35:40
Speaker
No, like I think he's the kind of player that will settle on maybe eight to 10 goals a season. That's absolutely fine. If you're pushing for tennis league or pushing to kind of break into the European places. But if you're looking to try and go win the league, you need someone that's going to be getting 12 to 15, 15 to 20 goals. And I don't think you're ever going to be that man. I really don't. I think the issue, I think the issue here is mostly that people are unrealistic nowadays more so than ever in the world of
00:36:08
Speaker
betting and fantasy sports being so big. Like, people are like, him boomos got X amount of points this season. Fantastic. You know, this is, this is the guy, this guy is so good. Like if you're watching him on a level, of course he's an excellent player, but if you're actually watching his performance and not just looking at his, his fantasy points, you know, you can see what level he's at and what level he's improved up to. And there is of course a cap there.
00:36:33
Speaker
He's not going to be a world leader, but I think he would fit in nicely to a system where he's not the main man, but he's a nice compliment. And I think he is on the level of a Champions League team. I think he will be in a couple of years, but I don't think that the valuation of him will meet what you get with him instantly because he will probably end up taking a step back in his first attempt to play at that high level. So I agree with the idea of your point, but
00:37:01
Speaker
I kind of think I'm probably a little bit higher on them than in general, but I think the problem in the overall sense is that people don't have as much realistic expectations of players nowadays.
00:37:13
Speaker
I do agree with you in that sense that kind of people just, as you said, look at the sense at the fantasy stats and see, oh, he has 13 goals. He has four assists. Both. Yes. When he makes that next step, can, can he be the small fish in the big pond instead of the big fish in the small pond? There's a lot of players who have struggled to make that kind of that jump from this into the smaller pond and someone with the bigger fishes. We'll see how he gets on. I think he'll go this summer.
00:37:39
Speaker
I think it'll be upwards of 60 million. And I don't think he's worth the valuation, but someone will pay us. It's probably what's going to happen, but yeah, it's too much, I think. And let's see if he goes pond hopping. That's your analogy. I like that analogy. It's just a nice one. So I'm going to go chat about my team that I picked for this week. So I've gone for Man City, a team that is possibly interested in him. The main reason I've gone for Man City is because I'm interested to hear what you have to say.
00:38:08
Speaker
about if they can get on a run that is good enough to win the league from here. Because I am not sold on that yet because of how they've played this year. But I think a litmus test this weekend will be against Chelsea. It's a tougher game than they've played recently, obviously battering Ipswich at my expense. And before that, some confidence boosters against Salford and West Ham battering those two teams as well. They haven't lost since the 21st of December against Villa.
00:38:38
Speaker
Um, so it's about a month now, but you know, they did throw away tuna leads that they had against Brentford and they're playing PSG. That's just kicking off, um, as we record now. So this PSG game and then this Chelsea game are more of a litmus test for me to see what their ability is to break out of that. Now, if you can throw money around, you know, the way that they have, then obviously.
00:39:03
Speaker
That's going to help things. If Marmouche goes through, which it looks like it will, the ability he adds. 26 games this year in the Bundesliga with 20 goals and 13 assists. Sorry, that's in all competitions, not the Bundesliga. I think it's 17 goals in the Bundesliga. That's another guy. Where is he going to play in this team? What way is he going to fit in? Are they going to play him off to the right a little bit? Are they going to play him behind Holland, with Holland? They're probably not going to play him with Holland. You know, why sell Julian Alvarez?
00:39:30
Speaker
And then the next summer, bring in a guy for 60 million, or the next window, bring in a guy for 60 million. He was kind of also a striker.
00:39:38
Speaker
Alvarez was such a good quality, such a good player, and I think they made a mistake by letting him go. And obviously they brought in the two centre backs too, and I'm going to be honest, I don't know a whole lot about Cushionov and Reyes from Lanz and Palmeres, around £30m each. So there's some more options there. I know they love to play centre backs in kind of also in midfield and in the fullback position, so Pep can never have enough centre backs, same as Arteta.
00:40:05
Speaker
But what do you think? Where are they going this season? I don't think they're anywhere near to going on a run. That's going to win them a league title this year. I think they look, they don't look like Man City of the last couple of years. They look my absolvered, I think.
00:40:21
Speaker
I knew Roger was going to be a big loss to him, but I didn't see him going on a run like this just because he isn't in there to hold him and feel together. Honestly, I don't see the vision. The players they've signed this January, the two centre backs and Marmoosh. I honestly thought they'd go for a bit more experienced options this January instead of signing two 20-year-olds and slightly overpaying for Marmoosh. I'm pretty sure it's 80 million they're spending on him, not 60.
00:40:46
Speaker
which I think they're paying a premium to get them out in January because Frankfurt are pushing for the Champions League. I honestly don't get it. But at the same time, they've been so bad, but they've actually only won one game less than Arsenal have.
00:41:00
Speaker
across the season, which when I saw it yesterday, when I was up in the top, I think was absolutely mad. Losing someone like Kyle Walker, I don't think it can be good. Even though he'd been way down in his performances this season, it's another kind of leader going out of the dressing room at a time where they're bringing in two more kids to try and fit into a system that they'll have never played before and an intensity that they've never played before.
00:41:23
Speaker
and Martin Reeves just a massive step up for him as well. The pressure he'll be under now coming in for 18 million. That's 16 or 17 goals behind him. They'll be like, oh, he can get us 10 in the next 19. I don't see where this run that everyone keeps talking about is coming from. I think people are kind of scared by the past. I don't see him winning 10 or 12 games.
00:41:46
Speaker
I think them going on a run is probably based on people thinking they can repeat what they've done previously, but I think the legs in this team aren't there. Some of the players are older and it's not the same city that we've seen in previous years. They're not playing to the same ability, of course, first of all. But secondly, things just don't seem to be clicking as well and teams seem to know how to beat them a little bit more.
00:42:14
Speaker
young teams like Brighton, Brentford, these type of physical teams that have a lot of athleticism are causing them problems. I think, you know, it's tough for them to go to this. I'm sure a lot of their players and Pep as well just find it very tough in this situation, having been so good for so long. But, you know, I don't think with 12 points back,
00:42:41
Speaker
And then if you Liverpool win their game in hand, that'd be 15. I don't think they can get a good enough run going to win the league, but I just thought that'd be an interesting question to ask a fan of the team who's top of the table, kind of to gauge how much worry is in there.
00:42:59
Speaker
I'm not worried about them at all to be perfectly honest with you. I do still think they'll get top four or top five might be good enough. I do think they've enough about them to get ahead of some of the other teams that are ahead of them, but I don't think they'll be going near the rehearsal between now and the end of the season. I think a massive thing this season, you were saying there about the younger teams winning a type of goal with them.
00:43:19
Speaker
it's almost like the fear factor is gone. Like in the start of the season they had that fear factor, they battered it so it's early in the season as well, and teams were like, oh it's Man City again. And once they lost one or two in a row, everyone was like, oh they're vulnerable here to the chance to get out of them, and teams weren't beaten going out onto the pitch, they weren't beaten, they won the down, they were losing games 2-1, if I mean 1-0 up, just not something you saw very often. The final game in the Champions League in particular was a massive show
00:43:48
Speaker
of teams like over Trina down, but it's not over. And I think if they need better signings than the one they're making, if they want to get their fear factor back before the end of the season. And they're in trouble now again this week, because then we have a leader accusing them of encouraging a player to break a contract so we can go to him for a cheaper price than they wanted to pay another centre back. I just saw it today.
00:44:12
Speaker
OK, like, yeah, things like things like this are just they don't, they don't have a sense. Yeah, there's more problems in part of the pilot now. It's another 18 year old centre after trying to sign that. I don't understand where they're going with signings and not looking for a 25 year old solid player who's been kind of bouncing around. Do you think it's a possibility that they're going for some younger talent because they're worried of what might happen with a point seduction?
00:44:40
Speaker
locking Holland in for a while, like a nine and a half. They're worried of things falling down, you know.
00:44:49
Speaker
is is these younger signings a bit of a look to the future. I'm not sure. I didn't. I didn't think of it that way. Yeah, I didn't think of it that way, to be honest. And you could be right there as well, where they're bringing in the lads as if they have to. They might mind stealing a seed in the championship from Mancity if they got a big enough points at auction like both. I don't see like I think the Brian is going to go in the summer. They've lost Walker. I think there's a massive rebuild coming. Nobody knows what Roger is going to be like when he comes back. ACL tears are
00:45:17
Speaker
massive, like people come back and it's very rare they're the same player as they were the game before they got to tear. So yeah, that's another big question mark over them. Gundogan would probably have to go. He's pushing on now. He's been going to see him, but he's, no, like they have a massive, massive job on their hands coming into the summer and we'll see how they get on. But it's interesting with the
00:45:41
Speaker
their midfield is probably the biggest issue right now and they haven't signed someone to replace or sit in there for now. So I don't know, like, what is this thing that, are they trying to sign these centre backs so that they can push somebody else into midfield? I just don't know what path. It's kind of hard. It's hard to get inside what he's thinking and what the idea is here.
00:46:04
Speaker
could be that they're trying to get these young guys in for the future. And, you know, just in case something does happen. And that's another factor. Look, we don't know what's going to happen with that if they did get relegated. Obviously, I don't think it could be a direct just all your relegated because the football league and the Premier League are separate entities. Yeah. The EFL. And so I think it'd have to be a massive point seduction that would then push them down. So I don't know where they're going from here. I don't think they're going to win the league.
00:46:34
Speaker
I wouldn't be surprised if they started going on a run in the Champions League and just focusing on that just to bring a bit of something into the season. But it's hard to know there too. They definitely need to win at least one of their last two games. They're probably not going to make that top eight so there's extra games for them as well. So yeah, I don't know what's going to happen with them but an interesting topic and one we're going to watch lay out over the rest of the season. So we've got a
00:47:02
Speaker
We've got a final, final game to play after we've just wrapped up our three sports topics. So we've got the power rankings for this week. So last week, mine was the Cavs, Lions, Bills, Liverpool, Forest and OKC. I've changed it up this week.
00:47:24
Speaker
I've gone with Liverpool on top, as you'll be happy to hear. I just think that win against Brentford was so important. And then last week, their win, or last night, their win to pretty much ensure their top spot. They just need one more point in the Champions League in the last game. They're probably going to feel the lesser team there. Who is, it's an easy enough game, isn't that PSV? PSV away, yeah. Yeah. I think you'll get a point there that you need at least, you know, a weaker team. So they're top for me, but how they're playing right now.
00:47:53
Speaker
I've moved the builds up one spot, so they're second now after their win against the Ravens, who I thought, you know, such a good team to play against and such a tough team to play against. And they beat them. You know, it was a very tough game and it did come down to drops, which, you know, we don't want to focus on things like that because it's not, it's not good for Andrews, what happened or the Ravens in general, but such a big win that pushes them up a spot.
00:48:17
Speaker
I pushed up OKC from 6th to 3rd because they beat the Cavs this week after losing to them previously and they beat them quite handsomely as well so I've actually pushed them up to 3rd and I've pushed the Cavs down to 4th because they're still obviously, they've been unbelievable, one game doesn't change anything but it just pushes OKC a little bit above them. For me and my power rankings there obviously my two NBA representatives
00:48:41
Speaker
And then I've gone with the Chiefs in 5th, just overall unbelievable season and they're still taking on. It kind of pains me to put them in there but I like them better than Eagles and Commanders to be putting in a power ring in terms of their ability. Interesting two AFC teams I've got in there but then last I've got Forrest. So I still have Forrest in there, they just drop down a place. They didn't do anything.
00:49:05
Speaker
two deserve to be dropped they won their game even though it's just about inside handling but they still won and they've still had a great season so they are six for me so that's my top six and it's two from each sport just for all of you just to remind so what have you gone with?
00:49:21
Speaker
I'm actually quite close to yours this week. I'm in the number way, so I also have Liverpool top. As you said, that win over, for it was just huge, getting the two late goals and then Arsenal going out and dropping points against Villa. It's a four or five point swing. It was absolutely massive in the run for the title. I've kept the Cavs a second. Even though they did lose the OPC, they're still just having an incredible season. Absolutely incredible.
00:49:48
Speaker
I personally didn't see it coming at the start of the year, maybe others did, but I didn't see this kind of run that they're on coming at the start of the season. I have the bills in third. I do think they'll be Kansas this weekend. I think they'll get to that Super Bowl and I think they will win it. I have the Rockets in fourth out of bias. I know they lost on Tuesday, the last yesterday, but I think
00:50:12
Speaker
Another one who I didn't see this kind of a seed coming from, I thought they'd kind of improved incrementally from where they were last year, and maybe push for a playing spot, but their second now, absolutely flying along, should be getting a playoff spot straight in. I had the commanders in fifth. I wanted to go one from each side. This one did one from each side. They kept me rolling last week, and they're going to keep me rolling again this week, maybe.
00:50:39
Speaker
and then I have four, so six. I think four is incredible. Marilla was after signing a new contract today until 2029, which is massive from as well, kind of holding on to the core of their team. And I just, I didn't think they were worthy of dropping out.
00:50:56
Speaker
I like your rankings. I think it's pretty good. Similar enough, I think the Rockets are close for me as well. They're definitely tough. If we're doing a top 10, they'd be in there. So I think your Rockets pick have gone the same as where they were last week. I like that you've kind of put in the Cavs now and dropped the Celtics out because I think the Cavs, they did deserve that appreciation and that movement into the
00:51:25
Speaker
into the rankings for their overall season. I like the forest inclusion over Newcastle because Newcastle were disappointed on the weekend and the forest has just been incredible.
00:51:37
Speaker
And yeah, I like it. I like it a lot. And I like getting those bills in there, dropping those chiefs out. Yes. I think it shows that we're talking too much during the week. Yeah, that's true. I'm getting into your head about the bills. I'm going to wrap up with some other business. So last week you came with some extra business at the end that I didn't know about was to chat about Diaz plan up top for Liverpool.
00:52:01
Speaker
Now this week, my other business is Ben Johnson signing for the Bears as their head coach. So I think this is an excellent move. He's staying in the division, so he knows the teams are going to play the most.
00:52:16
Speaker
Importantly, he knows how the Lions are going to play. Obviously, they'll change with new coordinators. They're probably going to lose offensive and defensive coordinator. But that's a big move to be in the same division as the old team you're with. And I just think Caleb Williams is just going to go straight up with this. He has that ability. We've seen it in college. We've seen some of the throws he made this season. If he just had somebody scheming for him properly and he had somebody
00:52:45
Speaker
to get his receivers to do something that was comfortable for him. Of course he's going to figure out what's comfortable for Caleb and I think this is such a big move for him more than anybody else and I think it's a great move overall by the lines or by the Bears franchise to take the lines offensive coordinator here.
00:53:05
Speaker
I think it's one of the smartest things they could have done. The amount of the points the Lions have scored this season, some of the trick plays they pulled out, I think he's quite clearly a very, very capable man of making that step up. And I think, as you said about Kayla Williams, we know the ability Kayla Williams has. The Bears just had the stupidest bunch of coaches and coordinators last season with some of the decision making that was going on there.
00:53:30
Speaker
I think this is a massive move for Caleb Williams, a massive move for the Bears. And as you said, staying in the division, like he'll have books upon books upon books of everyone he's about to play. I just might be might be worth to kill me now because I don't see how it goes wrong. Here we go now, it's going to crash in the back. But I think, yeah, I think it's just purely positives here. Like, of course, he's an unproven as a head coach, but I think
00:53:56
Speaker
People say, oh, he's like a football nerd. He's not going to be a leader of men, whatever. I saw a speech he gave today after to the full facility and he was incredibly well-spoken, incredibly motivating, and I'm sure he motivated that offense. And he would have had to be a good motivator and a strong personality to work alongside Dan Campbell. So I think they couldn't have gone better here. You know how I felt about Eber Blues, I thought.
00:54:21
Speaker
you know, this guy should not have been in that position for as long as he was. And I called him getting sacked that game. He should have been sacked about three games before it. First time in Bears history they sacked a head coach during the season. And right and so, because he was stinking the whole place up really with the things that were going on. And the way he was managing the clock in games was just, I just couldn't watch it. I just couldn't believe some of the things I was seeing.
00:54:47
Speaker
Yeah, not to be focusing on the negatives but focusing on Ben Janssen to the Bears. Massive move, massive for Caleb Williams, massive for Chicago and I really like it. So that's my other business for the week and that's pretty much all we have.
00:55:03
Speaker
That's covered NBA, NFL, football for the last week. Got our couple of games in. Let's see how we do this weekend with those predictions as well that we made. So hopefully you all enjoyed this episode. Give it a like, rate, and review. Subscribe on YouTube if you can. We'll be back again next week at the same time with another episode to chat about everything that went on the week before. Shane, it was a pleasure again, man. As always, talk to you all again soon. See you later, guys. Thanks so much. See you later.